 had low expectations - at least outside the program - in coach Mike Young's first season in Charlottesville, picked to finish 14th in the Atlantic Coast Conference preseason poll.The Hokies grinded through a back-and-forth second half before going up 10 with 4 1/2 minutes left. Michigan State fought back to pull within one, but Nolley responded with a 3 for a 68-64 lead with 47 seconds left.Virginia Tech made just enough free throws down the stretch to earn a spot in Tuesday's semifinal against Dayton.''That's a really good player making a big-league play,'' Young said. ''It probably went a long way in getting us out of here with a win.'' Michigan State (3-2) trailed 32-28 at halftime after preseason All-American Cassius Winston was limited to eight minutes due to two fouls.Winston helped sparked a late run, but the Spartans couldn't finish it off. Aaron Henry led Michigan State with 18 points and Winston was held to seven on 2-of-8 shooting.Michigan State has had a rough start to the season. The preseason No. 1, the Spartans lost starting guard Joshua Langford to a foot injury before the first game, and a week later, Winston's brother, Zachary, was hit and killed by a train.''He was a shell of himself today,'' Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said of Winston. ''I think it's been a lot on him. I couldn't have gone through what that kid has gone through, no way. He just looked tired the whole time, I think because of the mental stress he's going through.'' Michigan State lost its opening game to No. 9 Kentucky, but bounced back with three straight wins, including a hard-fought victory at No. 13 Seton Hall.Virginia Tech started the season 5-0 for the second straight season - a first since 1981-82 - but has a revamped roster under Young, who took over after Buzz Williams left for Texas A&M.The new-look Hokies made a school-record 21 3-pointers against Delaware State in their previous game but had to play a more grinding style against the gritty Spartans.Taking advantage of Winston's foul trouble, Virginia Tech pressured the Spartans into numerous mistakes, scoring 12 points off 11 turnovers before halftime.''It's difficult to sit that long,'' Winston said. ''I've got to be smarter than that, make better decisions for my team.'' BIG PICTUREVirginia Tech picked up the kind of determined, resume-building win that could look awfully good when Selection Sunday comes around.Winston was not able to conjure up any magic and the Spartans clearly have some flaws to work out until Langford returns in January at the earliest.UP NEXTVirginia Tech plays Dayton in Tuesday's semifinals.Michigan State faces Georgia.---More college basketball: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and https://twitter.com/-Top25)
Nov 24, 2019It's not the NCAA Tournament, or even the Big Ten tournament, but you can bet No. 3 Michigan State is headed to the Maui Invitational with one primary goal -- win a championship.The Spartans are looking forward to mixing in some fun in Hawaii -- and to "feel the sand between my toes," as sophomore Aaron Henry put it -- but they also have a history of focusing and winning tournaments. They won the PK80 two years ago and the Las Vegas Invitational last year.They don't intend on changing things now."It kind of gives guys an idea of what it takes to win," said junior big man Xavier Tillman, averaging 12.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game."I remember when we played in the PK80, as soon as the game was over, I think we relaxed for maybe like an hour or two and then we're right into film work. Right away, we're studying the next team that we're going to play or watching the next game."So we're definitely locked in at each and every game. It's really going to give (the young players) a chance to see what it takes to really get a championship." The Spartans (3-1) will tip things off Monday in Hawaii against Virginia Tech (5-0), with either Georgia or Dayton next. If things work out, Michigan State could meet No. 4 Kansas in the championship game on Wednesday."It's still one of the great tournaments of college basketball," said Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. "With the exposure and in the way everybody looks at it. It seems like a long time ago, 25 years ago that I started in this tournament, but it's another great field and it'll be a difficult task."I think it'll be a grind. My big worry is the trip is tough physically, but everybody goes through the same thing physically. That trip is tough mentally, because you have to learn how to prepare for one team then prepare for another team then prepare for another team. Win, lose or draw, you're gonna play three of them back-to-back-to-back." It's hardly an easy opener for Michigan State, which is led by point guard Cassius Winston, averaging 17.5 points and 7.0 assists per game.Virginia Tech, under first-year coach Mike Young, is off to a quick start to the season, opening with an ACC win over Clemson and then draining 21 3-pointers in its last game against Delaware State.Redshirt freshman wing Landers Nolley II is averaging a team-best 20.2 points per game while shooting 45.9 percent from beyond the arc (17 of 37).The Hokies haven't played the schedule Michigan State has -- the Spartans have played two ranked teams in the first four games, including one on the road -- but they're confident as they head to Maui."We go out there with a good basketball team," Young said."We're going to improve. It'll be a far different scout, a far different prep than what we're accustomed to. They're unlike anything that we've played to this point, but the time has come. The time has come to play somebody really, really good."It will test everything we have done with them through this point in the season, and I look forward to seeing them compete again." --Field Level Media
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